For beginners who just learn video editing, it is of great importance to find a suitable, easy to use tool to start. And it would be better to try a free tool first before they decide to go down the road. However, to find a free, user-friendly yet powerful video editing tool is not an easy job. To help beginners who are in video editing need, here are the top 10 best free video editing software for beginners.

10 Best Free Video Editing Software for Beginners

1 iMyFone Filme – Full-featured choice for beginners

If you want to capture the best moments in your life, and create amazing videos from them easily, then Filme would be a perfect tool for you. With Filme's Fast Video mode, you can create your own magnetic video story with music in just 1 click, whether you are creating videos for birthday party, wedding or traveling.

It also provides you with plentiful effect resources to create stunning videos with various filters and animations. Then, create cinematic titles and texts for your video story with different kinds of fonts and colors to choose from. You dont need learn advanced video edit skills with Filme, it is very easy to use for beginners, Download iMyFone Filme now for best free video editor for beginners. 

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Filme Video

    Key Functions:

  • Fast video mode: 1 click to create stunning slideshows with music.

  • Abundant free slideshow templates for different video scenes.

  • Its rich effect resources enable you to add filters and animations.

  • Multiple free transition templates to tell your story in a cool way.

  • Full basic editing features such as cropping, splitting, rotating with amazing effects.

  • Enhance your video with text overlays with different styles.

  • Multiple advanced features including multi-layer, multitrack audio editing, etc.

Pros

yesFull-featured video editor while easy to use and beginner-friendly.

yesHigh efficiency in editing with consistent and clear interface.

yesFree video editor with various free templates and free effects to apply.

Cons

noCurrently can't support Mac and Linux systems.

Operating system: Windows

>>Click here to learn how to use Filme fast and easy

2 iMovie - Mac- iDeal Choice for Mac

iMovie is one of the most famous video editor available for Mac users. The tool is very user friendly and easily accessible for beginners. One of its widely-used feature is the "Themes + Auto content", which allows you to make videos that have nice themed overlays easily, and transitions put right in your videos automatically.

    Key Functions:

  • Extra special effects to all the shots.

  • Provide stylish titles with your favorite font, and color in the text.

  • High fidelity filters.

  • Overlay images, or titles keyframe them over the video.

iMovie

Pros  

yesiMovie can fix shaky videos, make credits by adding texts, and edit clips.

yesIt is available and free for iOS and macOS.

Cons

noThe importing formats are quite limited.

noiMovie is currently available only for Apple OS.

Operating system: Mac
>>Click here to watch iMovie online tutorial for beginners

3 Windows Movie Maker– Well-known for Windows users

As one of the best free video editing software for beginners, Windows Movie Maker has been widely chosen by Windows users. The straightforwardness and intuitiveness of this free video editing software makes it a perfect fit for beginners. And it supports basic as well intermediate level editing with video.

    Key Functions:

  • Timeline narration

  • Video title customization tool

  • Auto Movie Options

  • Audio track selection

Windows Movie Maker

Pros

yesSimple, secure, and friendly to Windows video editing beginners.

yesIt offers all the basic editing tools for beginners.

yesIt's free for Microsoft Windows users.

Cons

noThe editor can freeze and crash often. So, save your file timely.

noThe video editing features are quite limited.

Operating system: Windows

>>Click here to watch Windows Movie Maker online tutorial for beginners

4 LiVES- Best Free VJ Tool

LiVES is the best free VJ tool available to download and try for free. In this editor, you conspicuously observe the Vj tool option, along with Info, Audio, Toys, Edit, and Play. So, these allow you to make quick and edit your videos on the right scale.

    Key Functions:

  • Near-instant opening for most audio / video formats.

  • Smooth playback during the editing process.

  • Frame accurate cutting and pasting within and between clips.

  • Lossless backup/restore.

LiVES

Pros

yesIt operates on computer instantly, and smoothly.

yesIt is flexible to work with multiple files.

Cons

noHigh requirement for computer processing capability

noFile rendering is restricted to 500MB.

noLimited transitions

Operating system: Linux, Unix-like

>>Click here to watch LiVES online tutorial for beginners

5 Openshot - Unlimited tracks / layers

OpenShot uses a transform tool to edit the video giving a real-world transformation in real-time. One of the best features of it is that users can apply unlimited layers to videos. Also, the razor tool (implemented recently) allows you to cut the clip instantly.

    Key Functions:

  • Preview performance in real-time.

  • Display frame numbers in the frame model.

  • Timeline zooming feature.

Openshot

Pros

yesFree and open-source software.

yesQuite easy to learn and use.

Cons

noNot friendly to create subtitles for the video.

noThe rendering can be buggy.

Operating system: Mac, Linux & Windows

>>Click here to watch OpenShot online tutorial for beginners

6 ShotCut- Wide format support

Shotcut offers quite a wide range of tools, from editing aspect to transforming the graphics. It is good for those who often edit videos and audios of different formats.

    Key Functions:

  • Wide range of audio/video format support.

  • Allows you to capture audio and webcam.

  • Gives playback support with a plug-in from the video generator.

  • Provides color, text generators.

Shortcut

Pros

yesHigh quality input/export support.

yesFree yet with good tech support.

Cons

noThe interface is somewhat confusing.

noNo support for external subtitle file uploading.

Operating system: Mac, Linux & Windows

>>Click here to watch Shortcut online tutorial for beginners

7 HitFilm Express- Equipped with professional-grade VFX tools

This tool would be perfect not only beginners, but also YouTubers, gamers, film students, etc. to freely create amazing filming works.

    Key Functions:

  • Equipped with professional-grade VFX tools

  • Unlimited tracks and transitions.

  • Multiple effects and presets.

  • Free resources of official video tutorials.

Hitfilm express

Pros

yesA free yet multi-functional video editor.

yesVisuals effects are guaranteed in the editing.

Cons

noLow export performance.

noLimited options with exporting formats.

Operating system: Mac & Windows

>>Click here to watch Hitfilm Express online tutorial for beginners

8 Joyoshare Media Cutter - professional video timmer and joiner

As a fast, compact and easy to use video editing tool, Joyoshare Media Cutter works perfect for video splitting. The best part of it is that you can trim and join video and audio files, without quality loss.

    Key Functions:

  • Trim and merge video and audio files.

  • Extract audios from video files.

  • Real-Time Preview.

  • Basic editing features including cropping, aspect ratio adjustment, etc.

Media cutter

Pros

yesIt runs smoothly on most computers with less RAM usage.

yesHigh editing speed and easy to learn and use.

 

Cons

noThe features are quite limited to trimming and joining.

noCan only merge parts from the same video

Operating system: Windows

>>Click here to watch Joyoshare Media Cutter online tutorial for beginners

9 Kdenlive- Primarily aimed at GNU/Linux

Kdenlive opts the tools like SoX, MLT, LADSPA libraries option. Indeed, it is based on the MLT framework. It is available in a free subscription.

    Key Functions:

  • Support a large number of media formats.

  • Built on open source project such as FFmpeg.

  • Multiple audio and video live track editing.

Kdenlive

Pros

yesLightweight with a straightforward interface.

yesFriendly to video editing beginners.

Cons

noNot stable to run and crash frequently.

noNot suitable for advanced and professional editing.

Operating system: Windows & Mac

>>Click here to watch Kdenlive online tutorial for beginners

10 Pitivi - Best Video Editor for Linux

Pitivi performs simple functions based on the tools of cutting and merging. It's an editor showing nonlinearity in performing the essential functions.

    Key Functions:

  • Import and export of media GStreamer framework.

  • Support basic editing such as snapping, trimming, splitting.

  • Adds effect to the video during the process of editing.

  • Usage of gradients facilitates the editor to work smoothly.

Pitivi

Pros

yesHigh-quality performance on animated effect, filter and transition.

yesIt has a high rendering speed capability.

Cons

noLack proxy editing.

noThe tool is only limited to the Linux environment.

Operating system: Linux

>>Click here to watch Pitivi online tutorial for beginners

Tips for choosing a suitable tool quickly

Maybe you feel somewhat confused how to choose from 10 pieces of best free video editing software mentioned above. Here are some tips to help you quickly locate the one that suits you most.

1. If you want easy-to-use and almighty video editing software, then go for:

  • Filme

  • Hitfilm Express

2. If you need an open-source video editor, try:

  • OpenShot

  • Pitivi

  • Hitflim Express

  • iMovie 

3. If you want to create a 3D effect on your video, then try:

  • iMovie

  • OpenShot

  • Hitfilm Express

  • Kdenlive

  • Pitivi

4. If you need 4K resolution support, try:

  • Pixteller

  • Hitflim Express

  • iMovie

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